Fayetteville, WV (WOAY) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and statistics show the dangers are as real as ever.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,200 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in 2024. That’s roughly one life every two and a half hours.
The dangers of distracted driving were echoed by the Fayetteville Police Department, where Patrolman First class, Jacob Rice, says looking away from the road for just a few seconds carries significant risk, and urges the public to put distractions aside and focus on just driving.
“Driving distracted poses a serious risk, not just to yourself, but other drivers on the road. Taking your eyes off the road for just 3 seconds, you cover the span of a football field,” said Rice. “It doesn’t matter if you’re on a phone, playing with radio, talking to your passengers, eating … taking your eyes off the road poses a serious risk to everybody. It’s important that people are educated and know not to drive distracted.”
